‘Pet Sematary’ 4DX Screenings Will Bring the Film’s Undead Horrors to Life

Paramount is so determined to scare the hell out of you with Pet Sematary that they’re going to release it in 4DX. You won’t just watch the movie, you’ll live it, complete with rain, fog, scents, rumbling seats, and actual corpses coming back to life! Okay I made that last part up, but you never know. While 4DX tends to be reserved more for big, loud, special-effects driven blockbusters, Paramount must be confident that a totally immersive sensory experience is going to make the new Pet Sematary even more terrifying. More on the Pet Sematary 4DX screenings below.

In the 1950s and ’60s, movie producer William Castle brought a wide variety of gimmicks to filmgoers. Castle didn’t just release scary movies – he created immersive experiences in which movie theater seats would buzz, fake skeletons would fly above the audience, and more. It was a fun, cheesy way to give movie goers an extra shock. Now, Castle’s legacy lives on, in a way, via 4DX theaters. A 4DX screening “allows a motion picture presentation to be augmented with environmental effects such as seat motion, wind, rain, lights, and scents along with the standard video and audio.” It’s a lot to take in, and it’s usually used for big, dumb blockbusters like Geostorm and the Transformers sequels. But in the spirit of William Castle’s old gimmicky spook shows, Paramount is about to unleash Pet Sematary in 4DX as well.

Mark Viane, President of International Theatrical Distribution at Paramount Pictures, said (via Bloody Disgusting):

“We can’t wait to share…Pet Sematary with audiences everywhere in 4DX theatres this year, and expand our partnership with CJ 4DPLEX…Paramount Pictures is always looking to create new and engaging experiences for audiences, and we are excited to utilize new technologies like 4DX to showcase great stories in unique new ways.”

Here are some more details:

CJ 4DPLEX’s 4DX innovative theater technology enhances the on-screen visuals of action-packed blockbusters and haunting horror films, transcending the traditional cinema experience through special effects including motion-synchronized seats, wind, fog, rain, lightning, snow, bubbles, vibrations, and scents. The result is one of the most immersive cinema formats in the industry, drawing fans into the action on the big screen.

I’ve yet to experience a 4DX screening, because it sounds exhausting. But I might have to finally make an exception for Pet Sematary, as it’s one of my most anticipated movies of the year, and I’m curious to see what an immersive experience might be for this particular film. Will they pipe in the smell of corpses, or blood-soaked cat fur? Will they throw actual grave dirt on you? Who knows!

Pet Sematary Featurette

In other Pet Sematary news, a new behind-the-scenes featurette has arrived ahead of the film’s worldwide debut at SXSW this weekend. There’s no new footage here, but you do get directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer and cast members Jason Clarke and John Lithgow talking about how terrifying the movie is going to be.